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WCEL
> Issues > Urban Growth and
Development > Smart Bylaws Guide > Part
2 > Connect the Green Infrastructure >
Community Gardens
Smart Bylaws Guide – Connect the Green Infrastructure – Community
Gardens
Gardening
is part of an active
living lifestyle, and community gardens help to bring people
closer to nature and to add to the network of green infrastructure
in a community. Community gardening provides access to land to
individuals who live in higher density areas, and it is an important
recreation activity that contributes to health and well-being,
positive social interaction, and community development. It
also promotes the protection and use of open space, and economical,
local food production, which further contributes to a reduction in
the energy and greenhouse gas footprint that is otherwise associated
with sourcing food from afar.
A
“community garden” is a parcel of land operated by volunteer
members that is used for the production of produce and flowers for
the personal use of its members. Membership provides access to
garden plots or allotments on the parcel of land. Annual
membership fees go towards services such as water, shared tools and
shared services such as tilling. Community gardens may contain
demonstration gardens and may be used for teaching about gardening.
Many municipalities support the creation and retention of
community gardens. For example, the District of Saanich
adopted a Community
Gardens Policy in 2003 to support the establishment of one
community garden for each neighbourhood and to recognize the need
for community gardens as parks are acquired or redeveloped.
Saanich took this initiative because existing community gardens have
waiting lists and more households are living in multi-family
housing, thus creating more demand for community gardens.
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Support for Community Gardens
Saanich supports community gardening by working with
community partners, helping to identify/secure/retain suitable
sites, and contributing to site development activities. Assistance
will be provided in the following ways:
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promoting and raising awareness of community
gardening
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providing contact information to the public for
existing community garden organizations
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providing information to the public on how to
develop and operate community gardens
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assisting interested groups in searching for
suitable land for the development of community gardens from an
inventory of municipal land, land owned by other government
agencies, and privately-owned land
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assisting in securing land for community gardens
through the use of zoning, lease
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agreements, and partnerships with private and public
sector organizations
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where appropriate, offering Saanich-owned land such
as undeveloped parcels, closed road rights of way, or parks for
garden sites
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assisting with site development activities such as
site planning and design, surveying, clearing, and irrigation
improvements
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providing municipal water at a special rate
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providing recreation programming for various groups
at community garden sites
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using the Saanich Recreation Guide to promote
community gardening
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offering one-time matching grants to help with
start up.
Saanich Community
Gardens Policy p.1
The District of Ucluelet's OCP incorporates a specific policy to
"promote creation and maintenance of a community garden" - a policy
which is in furtherance of a broader Land Use policy goal "To create
sustainable development which is sensitive to the physical, cultural and
economic values held by Ucluelet" and the following specific Objectives:
- Promote “getting back to knowing our neighbors”, being in touch with our surroundings,
having a sense of place, being physically active and healthy by incorporating green
design into our lifestyles as well as our shelter and infrastructure.
- Practice ecological planning and design to achieve maximum ecological capacity,
increased demand for natural amenities and sustainable development.
Ucluelet OCP,
Part III The Plan - 3. Land Use
City of Vancouver - Motion
re: [Deleting] Sewer Service Charges for Community Gardens (2005)
City of Vancouver By-laws,
Policies, Guidelines and Decisions Related to the Food System
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For More Information
Publications
Best
Practices in Urban Agriculture: A Background Report Prepared
for the City of Kamloops to Support Development of an Urban
Agriculture Strategy (True Consulting Group, February 2007, PDF)
Starting a
Community Garden (American Community Gardening Association)
Organizations:
American Community
Gardening Association
City Farmer (Vancouver)
Denver Urban Gardens
Portland
Community Gardens (Portland Parks and Recreation)
Australian City
Farms & Community Gardens Network
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